Types and Functions of Proteins

Body as a building material…

Proteins perform numerous vital functions in a human body, the most important one being the building material. With insufficient energy from fats and carbohydrates, our body can use protein as a source of energy, which leads to emaciation and in the context of physical activity and body sculpting, to the loss of valuable muscle mass. If we want to prevent this process from happening, we must remember that the energy used up during physical activity should always come from carbohydrates or fats, not from proteins. We can’t forget that not every kind of protein will be of the same value for your body. The function of protein as a nutrient is to provide the body with a set of essential amino acids that will ensure the proper functioning of the body. Amino acids are divided into exogenous and endogenous ones. Exogenous amino acids are not synthesized in the human body and must be delivered with food.

 

What protein sources are of high nutritional value?

Animal-derived proteins such as eggs, milk and its products, meat, fish, and poultry are among the wholesome sources of protein. The less valuable proteins are mostly plant-based proteins and some cereal groats, such as quinoa or amaranth. They contain fewer exogenous amino acids, so these must be replenished in your daily diet. Among plant-based proteins, legumes (mainly soy protein) and nutty proteins are characterized by high nutritional value. In the context of proper nutrition I recommend fish, legumes and white meat as the main sources of protein.

 

 

What is the daily demand for protein?

Muscle and systemic proteins are subject to constant remodeling, thus determining the demand for them is complicated and depends on many factors. The most important factors affecting the demand for protein are:

– the state of the body’s energy management (if there are no other energy substrates, the body will use protein as a source of energy);

– body weight;

– age;

– health state;

– physical activity.

The norm for a healthy adult human, with low or moderate physical activity, is about 0.9-1 g per each kilogram of body weight. If you are an active person, your protein requirements will be greater. Depending on the discipline and intensity of training, your demand may increase by up to 70%!

 

 

The amount of protein vs. our goal…

If the goal of your workouts is mainly to burn fat, an additional supply of protein is not necessary. However, if you do endurance disciplines, strength sports or bodybuilding, the accepted amount of protein according to general recommendations may not be enough. There is no need to exceed 2 g of protein for every kilogram of body weight. Depending on the intensity of training, the amount of protein should be increased from 20% to 70%, which amounts to 1.2-1.7 g for every kilogram of body weight.

 

Do you know that…

• 1 g of protein equals about 4 kcal.
• The daily intake of protein should amount to about 1 g of protein per kilogram of body weight.
• Choose wholesome animal proteins, eat legumes and nuts.
• If your workouts are very intense or you are practicing a specific sport, you need to increase the amount of protein in your diet to ensure that all metabolic processes work properly.